Manufacturing Books

I really liked this book. It was funny and I bought a couple for all my girlfriends. Right on, Rhona!

This is a must have for every woman, and men as well. Rhona writes with humor, class, and intelligence like no other. Perhaps I am biased after meeting her. But this is one heck of a book written by a real Lady!!

Great book. Lots of fun. don't leave home without it

I got married last month and gave one to each of my bride's maids at my bachlorette party. They thought it was great.And yes, we did light one up!

If you are looking for a Great Cigar book that is written with a touch of class then look no further here it is. I recommend this book to both Male and Female, (Yo!! My fellow men you can learn what women are thinking!! TIP TIP TIP). Author has put knowledge, humor, and class into this book. If you don't read it buy it for your Lady...

This book is very informational. It is a summary of the history of woman in the wine industry, specifically wine making. It describes the Old and New Worlds of wine and their influence on each other.

This book comes amidst wine's impressive surge in popularity in recent years. It's a candid look at the inner-workings of the wine industry and the previously unrecognized emergence of women as major role-players. Matasar has fittingly chosen to tell this story through very personal recollections of a veritable who's who of the pre-eminent women in wine in the world today.
A fascinating read.

As a business woman and wine enthusiast, I found "Women of Wine" a facinating, insightful, thought-provoking examination of women in the wine industry. Ann Matasar respectfully presents their stories, identifies the obstacles they have had to overcome, and highlights their achievements and contributions. She takes a global perspective which makes the book all the more interesting and comprehensive. With the holidays upon us, "Women of Wine" makes a great gift for men and women who appreciate wine.

Women of Wine is well-written, informative, and witty. Ann Matsar has undertaken to tell the story of how women impact the male-dominated wine industry. In her introduction, Matsar says that people are astonished to discover a unique woman who has conquered age-old prejudices in order to become an exemplary winemaker, winery owner, or a sommelier. But this book is not about that one woman, rather, it pays homage to a growing number of women who wield power and influence within the wine industry. If you love wine - or even if you don't - you will love this book. I highly recommend it.

I'm no wine connoisseur, but after reading Women of Wine, I have a much better understanding of the industry and the people who shape it. This book provides excellent dinner conversation.

This is one of the best books I have ever read.

Torrance Parker has written a book that is a must for anyone interested in the history of diving heavy gear and the development of the L.A. Harbour. Full of stories and pictures of the commercial divers; their accomplishments, their lives, and in many cases, their deaths.

VERY INTERESTING HISTORY OF DIVING, MANY OLD PHOTOS OF HARD HAT DIVING.

Great stories about the business of diving, and filled with outstanding illustrations that complement the text.

Very good historical background knowledge, for all divers, and others working in the maritime industry, from development of early equipment on jobes to the latest equipment found today. Shows the hows and whys of all types of underwater work and support equipment.

This is a detailed and heartbreaking story of the failure and collapse of the American steel industry. Sometimes the details are more than one needs to know, but this book will serve as an excellent case history on the underlying reasons for the transfer of the "rust-belt" jobs overseas, and now America's reliance of foreigners to produce the goods we use, in return for pieces of paper (Bonds) giving them claims on American wealth.

Mr. Hoerr tries to write a dispassionate history, but it is difficult in the face of such monumental stupidity and greed. "A vibrant forty-six mile stretch of river valley, providing primary jobs for over thirty-five thousand steel employees... would be devastated and expunged from economic memory in less than five years." "After that, the opportunities are limitless... from here to there where McDonald's needs someone to serve the one-trillionth burger." (p12-13).

The author was a reporter during this period, and apportions blame to both the steel company management and the unions, but clearly reserves his primary animus for management. They saw labor as an undifferentiated mass of dumb "hunkies", the pejorative term for people of Slavic origins, who only needed to take orders. That attitude was repaid, as Mr. Hoerr says: "I have known only two major corporations that actually engendered feelings of hatred among their employees, GM and US Steel." (p206) Management eventually acquiesced to the form, but not the substance of labor participation by forming "Labor-Management Participation Teams," but usually ignored their recommendations. There was also a willful neglect in spending the capital to modernize the operations - USX finally proposed building the first continuous caster plant in the Mon Valley in 1986! - at the very end. (p550) Instead it infuriated the labor force by spending its capital in buying Marathon Oil.

The author had access, and draws telling portraits of the principal actors involved, from the USW's I.W. Abel, Lloyd McBride, Lynn Williams, Bernard Kleiman and Edmund Ayoub. On the management side there was David M. Roderick, Thomas Graham and David Hoag.

I worked in US Steel's Homestead Works for two summers during my college years - '65 and '66. At the time I thought this work was the most "real", and those mills would be eternal - America would always need steel, and would obviously need to produce it. Fortunately the avenging angel passed me by, as I decided this work was not for me. Once again another "wolf" has finally come to America - this time high (and higher still) gas prices, which will force more economic dislocations that prudent planning could have avoided. Will American society be able to organize its economy prudently, to truly meet the real needs of its citizens, and minimize massive dislocations? This book is an excellent story of previous follies - can we learn from them?

Coke works at Hazelwood closing chapter on demise on steel in entire region. Read also: Homestead, with new forward by author, best one-town summary

I read this years ago, and I thought it was an excellent analysis of the collapse of the steel industry in Pittsburgh, filled with compelling tales of individual people.

The books feels like a Greek tragedy, in which the protagonists are doomed to a slow slide towards the edge of a cliff. Institutionalized conflict overcomes the efforts of people from both labor and maangement to halt, or at least slow the inevitable slide.

For people who think that the current dot.com crash is a serious downturn, this book offers a very good counter-perspective. When an area loses 100K jobs in 10 years, and whole towns essentially close, that's a *real* downturn.

On the other hand, there's always hope. Pittsburgh has bounced back, and has a much more diversified economy. The last time I visited, I could see the sky, which was more difficult in the steel days. To grasp those days, either see the early Tom Cruise movie "All The Right Moves", or for depth, read this book.

This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn about what went wrong in this basic industry. Not only a study of the collapse of the steel industry in the Mon Valley, the book is also a study of the pain of postindustrialization that swept the country in the 1980's. Esentially, the author is writing about a national trend, but focuses on the Pittsburgh area, which is really a microcosm. It is also a good look at what happens when unions and management can't get their acts together.

My dad - who died a couple of years ago - published this book. He was very proud of it, and I think he would have been very pleased to see that Amazon customers are responding to it favorably.

Thomas Graham's Aurora Model Kits is an informative tome fill with models of cars, planes, tanks, and the like; but it was the monster/ sci-fi kits that brought back many nostalgic remembrances of my childhood days- most of which was spent reading monster comic books like Dick Briefer's The Monster of Frankenstein and Zombie Factory, while waiting for the paint to dry on my glow in the dark monster models. If you were a kid in the 60's and want to see some of the kits you begged your mother to buy you at Woolworth department store, this 160 page "time machine" is for you!

Wonderful value for the price. SRP is $29.95 and got it for $19.77 through Amazon. Tons of great historical information and lots of fabulous color photos of build-ups and original boxes. Price guide is "okay" as many prices are pretty far off compared to what they sell for on ebay, for example. All things considered, it's a great book!

Highly recommended to any afficiando of Aurora kits, particularly those who wish to recall the deeply statisfying pleasure of finding those great Aurora art work boxes under their Christmas tree in the 1950's!

Apart from its enormous appeal to nostalgia,the serious student will find the work very well organized and a most reliable reference guide well worth the outlay.
Dave Owen,
Stevensville, Ontario, Canada

I was so happy that Schiffer brought Dr. Graham's Aurora book back out. In fact, I sent in a card requesting they do so a few years back after I bought his Revell Model's book. I just loved the memories, especially seeing that just horrible "Yak-25/Mig-19" kit Aurora put out. Of course it was totally fanciful, but I remember 51 years later the day I bought it. There are kits in here that have disappered from existence for so long, like the model knights and the USS Halford, which I had thought was a Revell model until Dr. Graham was kind enough to answer an e-mail a few years ago. For any of us who grew up in the 50's making models, this book is a must. It is amazing, it brought back friends, times, feelings, the whole 9 yards. Dr. Graham is an excellent writer and obviously historian, you won't be sorry. Get this and his Revell book and just be 8,9 or 10 again.

I should mention that if one is not interested in model aircraft, particularly the models built in the fifties, you should skip along to something else, but for someone who actually built many, if not most, of the kits in this book, this was a marvelous gift, memories of days when fun was the order of the day.

The historical information was most welcome, and Graham gives the reader a look inside the business of a model company in the fifties, a company that made some great strides in some areas but whose products were never considered the meat of "true modelers." The kits may not have been accurate -- the Me-109 was simply awful, and cast in a metallic burgundy besides, and the "Mig 19" resembled no aircraft ever flown by the Soviets -- but they were invariably fun. They were actually better in terms of fit and casting quality than some products presently on the market. And as a special treat, they were the only source for armored knights, gladiators, and movie monsters. Even the movie monsters issued by other companies were actually molds from the defunct Aurora line.

The only question is whether the book was more fun to read or to look at for the pictures.

This is the best and most comprehensive book on barbie fashions of the mod era. It shows you what the fashions look like nrfb as well as loose. It is a must have for any barbie collector.

Everything you could want to know about this period of Barbie and the photographs are beautiful.

This book is as close to being perfect as any can get in the Barbie world. Not only is it informative and well-written, it's fun too!

Each outfit is explained in detail, with each part listed, along with what parts may be more difficult to find, any variations in the outfit, etc. All of these items, where possible, are photographed flat and clearly so you can see each item separately and know what each thing is. Then, another photograph is taken on the doll, in a fun setting that usually goes with the name of the outfit somehow, so you can actually see how the outfit looks on a doll, something which I think is really important.

The photographs are great pretty much right across the board. The book is well-written, with a great sense of humour. All in all, you can't go wrong if you're into Mod-era Barbie and buy this book!

This is a fabulous book! Wonderful and informative descriptions. The photographs are some of the cutest and most creative I have ever seen. Lovely. I highly reccomend this book!

It tells you so very much about the mod world of Barbie. It gives you so much to sink your teeth into that I couldn't put it down for about an hour or longer.

THIS BOOK IS FULL OF HELPFULL HINTS AND WONDERFUL STEP BY STEP DETAILS. THE PICTURES ARE GREAT AND HELP EVEN MORE. I WILL KEEP IT WITH ME AS I WORK TO BRING THESE BEAUTIES BACK TO LIFE!! A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE TRYING THE SAME!!

This book is very informative and helpful to antique doll restorers,the author has a good sense of humor about the care of dolls and tells in concise detail all aspects of care and restoration.Lots of colorful and interesting pictures.This book is a must have for any antique bisque doll collector,well worth the money!

This is a book that I will keep close at hand as I work on the Antique Bisque dolls to restore them to their original beauty! So complete in all areas of restoration with clear directions and wonderful pictures. It is just like having Mary there with you to personally guide your hands! Without hesitation, I give it 5 big stars!!!

This is an easy book to follow. As a beginner it was wonderful to have pictures and easy to follow instruction, I am now able to set eyes, restring comp bodies and fix wigs.. if you are a beginner it is a MUST HAVE - money well spent !

I am an avid antique doll collector, and an glad to see all these practical repair tips.

A thorough reference book on charms as art, momentoes and talismans around the world and through the ages. Beautifully photographed, this book shows you that charms are not just decorative bits of silver and gold but also cultural tokens which remind us of people, places, things and significant events. It is clear that the number of charms that you can collect is limited only by your imagination!

Charms and Charm Bracelets: The Complete Guide is a price guide to charm bracelets from the 19th century to the present, illustrated with over 300 color photographs and featuring jewelry ranging in composition from gold to plastic. Written by an enthusiastic collector of antique jewelry, Charms and Charm Bracelets discusses techniques in making charms, trends in charm and jewelry making throughout the decades, factors to consider when evaluating and appraising specific pieces of charm jewelry, and much more. A "must-have" resource for serious collectors, and a treasury to page through for art lovers interested in this unique form of adornment.

Charms & Charm Bracelets: the Complete Guide is well researched and entertaining. This book gets it right! I read plenty of jewelry books and Charms & Charm Bracelets avoids most of my pet peeves. It is well organized and includes an accurate glossary, bibliography, and index. The photos are clear and well composed. Missing are photos that show more background than jewelry. You know the pictures I'm talking about. "Gee, is that an earring, bracelet, or waste processing plant?" Helpful information including measurements, prices, and circa dates is included in the captions. This is a fun and useful book.

This is an extremely useful resource for any one who collects charms. The coverage of the subject is comprehensive and the illustrations are exquisite.

I have every book there is on collecting charms and charm bracelets. This book is the best written, contains the best history, best advertisements, etc. The book has over 300 color pictures of charms, bracelets and advertisements. Unlike other books, this one gives equal time to both gold and silver charms and bracelets. You get a wonderful history of charms, charm bracelets and how they are made - decade by decade.

What really sold me on this lovely book is the fact that it has lots of additional information. There is an appendix explaining metal markings and one showing pictures of actual metal markings with explanations. You also get a nice glossary of frequently used terms, a bibliography, and a wonderful index.

If you want to know the history of charms and charm bracelets, their metal markings, and you can only get one book - get this one. This is great for collectors and for people who actually sell charms and bracelets. The author has done an outstanding job of compiling a lot of useful information and photographs in a wonderful, easy to read guide to the world of charms and charm bracelets.

excellent book for the pro or just for the interested amateur. great pics,descriptions and info. worth every penny.

This book is geared to the watch collector and repairer, which is exactly what I was looking for. It has an excellent description of the major dials and movements with nice large pictures. The information is detailed, in-depth and informative. A professional book. It is large format, not too thick, but the glossy pages (which is a good thing) make it heavy. For the collector / repairer of chronographs, this is a must-have book.

Overall an excellent book on chronographs, which is a cross between a coffee table book and a reference work. As a collector, I refer to it a lot.

Unfortunately, the translation is poor, and there are many inconsistencies which can make it hard to follow descriptions: for example, the same component in the chronograph mechanism may be referred to by several different names. Also, the final editing of the English version leaves a lot to be desired, especially in a book of this price. Having said this, it's still a very good book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

This book illustrates the intricacies of chronograhs in great detail and with much attention given to not-so-well-known facts. Master Watchmaker Gerd-Ruediger Lang is the founder and manager of Chronoswiss Uhren GmbH in Munich, Germany and his attention to detail can both be found in this book and in his watches, which are famous throughout the world.

This is a great book for those interested in chronograph watches. The pictures are very good and the detail on the movements is exceptional. The format of the book is rather large, but not too thick. Quality printing and binding. Nearly a must-have for watch collectors and horologists.

This is Tyler & Jim's first "boot book" and it has turned more people into boot collectors and bootmakers than any other.

I think it's because of the great personal stories it tells ...and the portrait Jim took of each maker. This book has the look and feel of a treasure map.

Originally printed in 1992, it's remarkable that it's still in print. Get it while you can.

Yep, I'm a boot wearin' Jewish cowboy! (A doctor, in fact!) I started Country & Western line dancing a couple years ago, and from there I got into boots. Been wearin' 'em ever since!

That said, I was totally blown away by the unbelievable hand-made boots in this book. Spectacularly photographed, they appear as works of art. (I see that the same authors are publishing a book later this year called "The Art of the Boot". You know I'll be buying a copy!). I personally have a couple pairs of wonderful Tony Lama boots that fit like a glove, but the boots in this book are in a different class entirely - we're talking ten times more expensive than anything you might find on the shelf at a western wear store.

It'll be a while before I can afford any of the boots in this book, but it's nice to admire them, and appreciate the craftsmanship and dedication that went into making them.

This is a book that works on many levels making it a great introduction to the history, art, and craft of cowboy bootmaking. It quotes Jack Reed, the only owner of a one-man boot shop left in Texas, saying it takes 372 steps to make cowboy boots, but is not detailed enough to list them all. Until I read this book, I had no idea that there was a market in vintage cowboy boots. I found out that original ornate tops can be fitted with a replaced foot to bring old boots back to life. Jim Arndt's photographs of boots, bootmakers, and boot collectors are outstanding throughout and really bring the book to life. The beginning of the book does an admirable job tracing the history of cowboy boots back to the old Texas-to-Kansas cattle drives of the post-Civil War era. This is followed by a great A - Z directory of the various skins that have been used to make the boots including characteristics, care, and current availability. The next section is a great history of the major boot making factories and the people behind them with chapters on Justin, Nocona, Tony Lama, Lucchese, and Rocketbuster. The rest of the book covers the rest of the cowboy boot business and personalities. Included are descriptions of individual bootmakers and cowboy boot collectors. Each is lavishly illustrated with pictures of them and their boots. The author and photographer are avid collectors and their collections are covered in this section of the book. The book ends with an outline of the retail side of the industry. Major sellers of new and vintage boots are described and a state-by-state Store Guide is included. Of course, not every state has a custom bootmaker or a vintage cowboy boot store, but you can still find the nearest one if this book has convinced you that you are ready for the next step above looking in the Yellow Pages under Western Apparel. The only place where I felt this book went too far is when they say in the caption to a photograph: "the details of this pair of boots could be compared to a fine oil painting." But if you want a basic knowledge of cowboy boots, or love to look at cowboy boots either in a store or on other people's feet this is the book for you.

If your're looking to buy this book then you've probably heard of the legendary book titled "Texas Boots" now out of print. Don't fret--this book is better. Whereas the older book was mostly black and white, this one has beautiful color pictures, and most of the bootmakers listed here are still alive. In fact, if you buy this book don't bother to consider "The Art of the Boot" by the same author as the two books are about the same, except that Art costs more and has a few more pictures, but the Cowboy Boot Book has a much better history of the cowboy boot.

Filled with great photographs and lots of info, this book is a visual kick in the butt as well as an interesting look at wearers and makers of boots. (Surprise inside - Imelda wasn't the only one with a problem.) The author's interest in the fancy, short boots of the 40's is apparent in the book; after all, they are fascinating to look at. On the other hand, there is not a lot of history associated with the development of the cowboy boot as an article of working clothing, or how it became a touchstone of American culture. In a nutshell, the book is a magnificent coffee table work that is much too informative to leave in the living room. There is nothing else quite like it in print and it is a must have for anyone into things Western.